Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

Monday, March 24, 2008

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A federal inmate is asking President Bush for clemency so he can be with his daughter, who's dying of brain cancer in Lincoln.

Jason Yaeger is in a federal prison in Yankton, South Dakota, serving four years on methamphetamine charges. He's scheduled to be released next year.

But that may be too late for 10-year-old Jayci, who is too weak to respond when her father talks to her on the phone.

Yaeger says he's not trying to get out of his sentence. He says the request for clemency is a last resort after the warden refused move him to a Council Bluffs halfway house, as well as Yaeger's request for a furlough.

He's also filed a court injunction, asking for an immediate transfer to the halfway house, where he's scheduled to be transfered in August.

"Bureau of Prison officials have reviewed inmate Yaeger's request for a compassionate release and have determined his situation does not meet criteria," the statement said. "Inmate Yaeger's request for extended placement in a residential re-entry center is currently in litigation; therefore, we are unable to comment further on this request."

The governor of South Dakota's office has received more than 70 e-mails and calls. Press Secretary Mitch Krebs said there is nothing the governor can do because, though he has jurisdiction over state prisons, Yaeger is in a federal prison. Krebs said the office has called federal officials to let them know the governor's office was getting calls and e-mails.